‘Steel yourselves,’ judge warns Tori Stafford jurors ahead of autopsy photos

LONDON, Ont. – The trial of a man accused of killing Victoria Stafford has been warned that the evidence today will be the worst to date.

Dr. Michael Pollanen, Ontario‘s chief forensic pathologist, will testify about the autopsy he performed on the eight-year-old girl.

Ontario Superior Court Justice Thomas Heeney warned jurors that Pollanen’s photographic evidence will be disturbing, but said they must decide the case without emotion.

Heeney said the evidence “cannot help but tug at your heartstrings” but warned jurors against allowing their emotions to cloud their judgment.

Tori was abducted outside her school in Woodstock, Ont., on April 8, 2009, allegedly sexually assaulted and killed by blows to the head with a hammer.

Michael Rafferty, 31, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, sexual assault causing bodily harm and kidnapping.

“We are, after all, dealing with the death of a little girl and we are all of us human,” Heeney said.

“You’ve been warned about graphic images being shown before and they’ve no doubt been disturbing, but I can tell you that this will be the worst that you will see during the course of this case, so you really need to steel yourselves.”

In court, Rafferty wore a purple shirt and purple striped tie — the same shade of deep purple as the ribbons Tori’s family has taken to wearing in her memory because it was her favourite colour.

Rafferty’s ex-girlfriend Terri-Lynne McClintic, 21, is serving a life sentence after pleading guilty two years ago to first-degree murder in Tori’s death.

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